We reported earlier this week that outgoing Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat had said there was very nearly a black Doctor in Doctor Who recently but he hadn’t said who it was.
Now, however, Radio Times are saying they have done some investigation and can reveal the answer: “According to sources involved in the show at the time, it was Chiwetel Ejiofor, the British star who went on to global acclaim in the film 12 Years a Slave.
“Ejiofor was offered the role of the Eleventh Doctor by the BBC but was unable to agree terms with the Corporation. The part was eventually handed to Matt Smith.”
FTN Neil Gaiman had said three years ago that a black actor was offered the role but it was a big secret: “I know one black actor who was already offered the part of the Doctor, and who turned it down. You can ask [who it is], but seeing that it was something I was told in confidence by the actor in question, you won’t get an answer.”
Many thought it was actually Paterson Joseph and, in fairness, it may have been; we may never know for sure.
In related news, Peter Capaldi has confirmed at Dallas Comic Con that series 10 of Doctor Who, Moffat’s final season, kicks off in two weeks.
We start in 2 weeks. – Peter Capaldi on @bbcdoctorwho‘s upcoming filming schedule!
— Dallas Comic Con (@dallascomiccon) June 4, 2016
It is assumed that Moffat’s final episode, providing they stick with what is now tradition, will be Monday 25th December 2017.
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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